Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Big Bend and Manzini

For one person, living is cheaper in Manzini: $360 a month against $714 in Big Bend, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Big Bend
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Big Bend Living Index

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Big Bend

🇸🇿 Eswatini

$714

/mo nomad

Manzini

🇸🇿 Eswatini

$360

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Big Bend and in Manzini

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Big Bend and in Manzini actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $714 per month in Big Bend vs $360 in Manzini, rent included.

Big Bend $714
Manzini $360

A couple spends around $1,413 per month in Big Bend vs $386 in Manzini, rent included.

Big Bend $1,413
Manzini $386

A family of three spends $2,112 per month in Big Bend vs $412 in Manzini, rent included.

Big Bend $2,112
Manzini $412

Big Bend costs about 98% more than Manzini, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Big Bend and Manzini are more affordable than the global median – Big Bend 47% lower, Manzini 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 SZL 63.0

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.72 SZL 440

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 SZL 83.0

Cappuccino

$1.54 SZL 25.33

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 SZL 12.50

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 SZL 7.13

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 SZL 25.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 SZL 26.98

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 SZL 20.16

$1.25 SZL 20.61

-2.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 SZL 13.50

$0.92 SZL 15.14

-10.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 SZL 26.29

$1.86 SZL 30.67

-13.98%

Eggs

$4.66 SZL 76.7

$1.14 SZL 18.80

308.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.02 SZL 297

$7.44 SZL 122

142.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.87 SZL 195

$2.93 SZL 48.26

305.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.76 SZL 78.4

$1.85 SZL 30.52

157.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 SZL 67.9

$1.38 SZL 22.72

199.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.62 SZL 10.17

$0.63 SZL 10.35

-1.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 SZL 29.23

$0.76 SZL 12.55

134.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 SZL 20.36

$0.46 SZL 7.65

169.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 SZL 41.02

$0.62 SZL 10.13

301.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 SZL 34.73

$0.50 SZL 8.27

322.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 SZL 14.31

$0.41 SZL 6.75

112.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 SZL 15.58

$0.70 SZL 11.45

35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 SZL 96.4

$2.97 SZL 48.84

97.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.65 SZL 60.1

$3.34 SZL 55.1

9.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SZL 10.24

$0.59 SZL 9.68

5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 SZL 14.37

$0.82 SZL 13.41

6.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 SZL 19.56

$0.59 SZL 9.71

101.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.39 SZL 401

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 SZL 30.14

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 SZL 24.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 SZL 58.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 SZL 17.54

$1.35 SZL 22.19

-20.74%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$12.1K SZL 198.4K

$16.6K SZL 273.3K

-27.42%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$18.4K SZL 302.8K

$15.5K SZL 255.3K

18.60%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$130 SZL 2,147

$72.5 SZL 1,193

79.94%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$24.30 SZL 400

$11.91 SZL 196

104.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.31 SZL 400

$30.58 SZL 503

-20.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.94 SZL 295

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.37 SZL 38.93

Cinema Ticket

$3.04 SZL 50.0

$3.74 SZL 61.5

-18.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.81 SZL 606

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.08 SZL 396

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.73 SZL 604

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.8 SZL 902

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$110 SZL 1,805

$180 SZL 2,968

-39.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.0 SZL 1,217

$119 SZL 1,959

-37.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 SZL 17.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 SZL 12.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$193 SZL 3,171

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$143 SZL 2,347

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$776 SZL 12.8K

$482 SZL 7,928

61.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-10.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Big Bend: October 10, 2026

Last update for Manzini: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Big Bend

$250 35%

Manzini

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Big Bend

$179 25.1%

Manzini

–

Eating Out

Big Bend

$80 11.2%

Manzini

–

Accommodation & Living

Big Bend

$74 10.4%

Manzini

–

Clothing & Footwear

Big Bend

$69 9.6%

Manzini

–

Getting Around

Big Bend

$38 5.4%

Manzini

–

Sport & Entertainment

Big Bend

$24 3.4%

Manzini

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $110 in Big Bend versus $180 in Manzini. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 61% higher in Big Bend, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇸🇿 Big Bend

🇸🇿 Manzini

🕒 Local time

09:48 9:48 AM

Same time as Big Bend

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,433

110,508

💱 Currency

Eswatini Lilangeni SZL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 SZL = 6.08 USD

100 SZL = 5.4 EUR

100 SZL = 6.08 USD

100 SZL = 5.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Big Bend Manzini 65 km

From you

Big Bend
Manzini

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Big Bend vs Manzini: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $714 in Big Bend, $360 in Manzini – roughly 98% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,070 per month in Big Bend and $540 in Manzini. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manzini, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $714 in Big Bend and $360 in Manzini. That's a gap of about 98%.

Groceries cost about 114% more in Big Bend, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $714 in Big Bend and $360 in Manzini, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Manzini – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Manzini. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Big Bend makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.